About the coroner

Who is the coroner?

The coroner is an independent judicial officer appointed by the Crown.

In Essex, our coroners are:

• Lincoln Brookes, Senior Coroner
• Michelle Brown, Area Coroner
• Sean Horstead, Area Coroner
• Sonia Hayes, Area Coroner

What does the coroner do?

The coroner is responsible for investigating:

• violent or unnatural death
• sudden deaths with no known cause
• reported deaths in custody
• treasure finds

More information

For more information on the work of the coroner, see the Guide to coroner services on GOV.UK.